Local
Platform App
- Git & repos
- Flutter SDK
- Node.js
- Docker
The setup app detects tools and starts everything with one click.
Solution
macOS build machines for iOS, without a Mac in the office
iOS and macOS builds require macOS hardware. Often a Mac mini under a desk takes that on, needing updates and blocking everything when it fails. The platform provides macOS workspaces in the cloud instead.
- macOS workspaces in the cloud, reachable over RDP and VNC
- Connected directly to the GitLab CI pipeline
- Signing credentials managed, releases to the App Store and Mac App Store
Start for free. No credit card required.
Work locally or in the cloud?
Entirely your call—we give you the ideal setup for both paths.
Cloud
Remote workspace
- Ubuntu VM
- VS Code in browser
- From anywhere
Ready-made dev environment—no local setup required.
In short
The need for macOS does not go away, but the hardware does not have to sit in your office.
- macOS in the cloud: workspaces for iOS and macOS builds, reachable over RDP and VNC.
- Wired into the pipeline: builds run on GitLab CI, with configuration readable in the repository.
Your own Mac hardware next to cloud macOS workspaces
This describes the usual day-to-day with a dedicated build Mac compared with macOS machines from the platform.
| Criterion | With the Application Platform | Your own Mac hardware |
|---|---|---|
| Availability for builds | Fully covered: macOS workspaces are started when they are needed | Partly covered: One device, available while it happens to be running |
| Hardware failure | Fully covered: Another workspace takes over and the process stays the same | Not offered: Releases stop until somebody repairs the machine |
| Xcode and system maintenance | Fully covered: The environment is provided, no device to administer | Not offered: Updates, disk space and reboots handled by someone on the side |
| CI/CD integration | Fully covered: A fixed part of the project’s GitLab CI pipeline | Partly covered: Install, secure and update a runner yourself |
| Interactive access | Fully covered: RDP and VNC over stable gateway URLs, including from home | Partly covered: Physical access or remote control you set up yourself |
| Signing credentials | Fully covered: Apple credentials and other signing material managed centrally | Not offered: Certificates in the keychain of one particular machine |
| Parallel builds | Fully covered: Several workspaces when multiple projects build at once | Not offered: Builds queue up one behind the other |
| Publishing to the stores | Fully covered: App Store and Mac App Store from the pipeline, with metadata and screenshots | Partly covered: Manual uploads or a Fastlane setup of your own |
| Developer ID and notarisation | Fully covered: Signing and notarisation for macOS applications are part of the flow | Partly covered: Rebuilt by hand and revalidated with every change |
| Access control | Fully covered: Roles and project membership decide who may open an environment | Not offered: Effectively anyone who can reach the device |
Green means covered, amber partly, grey not available. The right column describes no vendor but the usual situation with your own hardware.
As of 10 August 2026. This comparison describes typical workflows and can differ from project to project.
What cloud macOS changes day to day
Six things you notice from the first iOS release onwards.
No single point of failure
The release process no longer depends on one device someone has to leave switched on in the office.
Access over RDP and VNC
macOS workspaces are reachable through stable gateway URLs, even when you are not on the same network.
Anchored in the pipeline
Builds run on GitLab CI. The configuration is readable in the repository and can be adapted.
Signing managed centrally
The workspace is more than a build target: you can work inside it when a task needs Xcode or a simulator.
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App StoreApple releases with prepared metadata and assets.
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Google PlayPlay Store listings populated automatically.
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Getting a macOS build machine
Four steps from project to signed build.
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Create the project
Pick a Flutter, Expo or native iOS template. Repository, structure and pipeline are created with it.
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Store your Apple credentials
Apple credentials and the matching store access are kept in the platform and released through roles.
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Start a macOS workspace
Launch a macOS environment and connect over RDP or VNC when you want to work interactively.
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Trigger build and release
The pipeline builds, signs and uploads. For macOS applications that includes Developer ID signing and notarisation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need my own Mac for iOS builds?
Not for builds. The platform provides macOS machines in the cloud where the pipeline builds and signs. You also use them interactively over RDP or VNC. Owning a Mac still helps for local work, but it is no longer a prerequisite.
How do I reach a macOS workspace?
Through stable gateway URLs that stay the same after a restart. From there you start a graphical session over RDP or VNC. Who may connect is governed by roles and project membership. Access from home works exactly like access from the office.
Can macOS applications be published as well?
Yes, because the environments are not tied to one device. With your own hardware, builds queue behind each other, which becomes noticeable in agencies running several client projects. How many environments and CI minutes are included depends on the plan.
Start a macOS workspace
Register for free, create an iOS project and run your first build on one of the platform's macOS machines.
Start for free. No credit card required.